Offshore staff
HOUSTON --Shell has made an oil discovery at the Appomattox prospect in the US Gulf of Mexico Mississippi Canyon blocks 392. Transocean’s semisubmersible Deepwater Nautilus drilled the well.
The discovery wells was drilled in 2,200 m (7,217 ft) water depth to 7,643 m (25,077 ft) TD and encountered 162 m (530 ft) of oil pay. A follow-up appraisal well was drilled to 7,910 m (25,950 ft) and encountered 116 m (380 ft) of oil pay. A second sidetrack was undertaken and further drilling in the area is planned for later this year to confirm the field’s resource potential. Partner Nexen says the well results have exceeded pre-drill estimates.
Appomattox is the third discovery in the area following early discoveries at Shiloh (Shell 80%, Nexen 20%) and Vicksburg (Shell 75%, Nexen 25%) which were drilled in 2003 and 2007, respectively. Development planning for Appomattox is under way, which may include Vicksburg located about 10 km (6 mi) east of the discovery in DeSoto Canyon block 353.
Shell operates Appomattox with an 80% working interest and Nexen holds the remaining 20%.
3/19/2010
